On April 10, 2025 Ronald Yale Gutman passed away peacefully, at his home in Denver, CO. Most people called him Ron or Ronald. If you called him Ronnie it meant you knew him a long time ago. You were one of his oldest friends.

His 5 grandkids lovingly called him Pop Pop. His kids called him dad.

Ron, our dad, had the best sense of humor and loved to laugh. Sometimes, when there was a particularly funny movie or joke he'd laugh so hard he'd hyperventilate. He could laugh at himself - like the time he tried to take out a pesky armadillo in his yard, Caddyshack style, only to catch himself on fire and end up in the emergency room (he was okay). He loved to tell stories and he was really good at it. He was the first person in his family to go to college and then law school. We couldn't tell you what he did each day at work but if you visited him at the office, all the paralegals, secretaries, and colleagues would seek you out unsolicited to tell you what a kind, funny person Ron was. If you ever got to see him do his thing in court - it was truly impressive. He had a command of the room that carried a particular kindness and empathy. He wasn't like those jerk lawyers you see on TV.

Ron now joins his wife Elinor wherever we go "after". A chance encounter at the apartment pool where they both lived resulted in 50 years of marriage before Elinor passed in 2020. Ron is survived by his son Marc Gutman (Lindsey), his daughter Lori Fox (Ryan) and his 5 grandkids.

While he and Ellie attended Michigan State University, Ron couldn't have been prouder when both of his kids went to the University of Michigan. Ron was relentlessly supportive of his children and paved the way for them to dream and then realize the lives they wanted to live.

His dream was simply to escape Michigan winters! And so after a career in law he realized that dream by relocating to Aiken, South Carolina. Where, this Jewish Midwesterner, morphed into a legitimate Southerner, adopting local pastimes like shrimp & grits and line judging polo matches.

If there was one shining attribute about Ron, it was that he loved his family and dedicated his life to time spent with family - that was his hobby. Ron loved to travel. First with Ellie, Marc and Lori, in a travel trailer, road tripping from Michigan to Colorado, Disney World, or the Smoky Mountains. Later, Ron and Ellie traveled the world via cruise ships and spent big chunks of time as ex-pats in Mexico sipping margaritas. After Ellie passed, Ron continued his thirst for travel and always made time to travel with his two children on adventures to Iceland, Antarctica, and the Mediterranean coast.

Ron loved to lead the family in the Hanukkah prayer while lighting the menorah. In recent years he reconnected with his faith and looked forward to Friday services where he lived.

We invite all who knew Ron to celebrate his life by sharing the joy, laughter, and love he brought into our lives.